General Debate Under Item 9: Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, follow-up to and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

Thank you Mr. President,

This is a joint statement with International-Lawyers and Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ).
International-Lawyers.Org views the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action as the guiding international instrument for the global action against discrimination. We welcome the High Commissioner’s report requested by the Council under its resolution 31/26 (document 34/35), but we regret the failure of the OHCHR to prepare and submit at this session the Report of the 14th Session of the Inter-Governmental Working Group on the Implementation of the DDPA.

We must leave no doubt that the goals of DDPA, which the United Nations Member States adopted, must be achieved. Indeed, the DDPA is the guide for the global struggle against discrimination. For this reason, we express our concern at the fact that this Council has ignored the UN General Assembly’s call in its Resolution 71/181, paragraph 23, that the Human Rights Council consider at this, its thirty-fourth session, and I quote paragraph 23, “developing a multi-year programme of activities to provide for the renewed and strengthened outreach activities needed to inform and mobilize the global public in support of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and to strengthen awareness of the contribution that they have made in the struggle against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.” (end quotes) We urge the Council to respond to the General Assembly’s invitation and to urgently prepare a multi-year programme of activities as just described without further delay.

Thank you,